Hair care compositions for promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss

ABSTRACT

A hair care composition that prevents hair loss and stimulates hair growth is disclosed. The hair care composition of the present invention comprises natural ingredients including one and/or more carrier oils, one and/or more essential oils, and fragrance oil. The preferred embodiment including Shea Butter, Extra Virgin Olive oil, Jojoba oil, Vanilla fragrance oil, Peppermint essential oil, Lavender essential oil, Tea Tree essential oil, Clary Sage essential oil, and Rosemary essential oil is provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hair care compositions, and moreparticularly to hair care compositions that contain a novel blend ofnatural ingredients which can be applied to the scalp and/or hair of auser to prevent hair loss and stimulate hair growth.

2. Description of Related Art

Hair loss, also known as alopecia, may be caused naturally by the effectof hormone (androgens) on the base of the hair bulb, deficiency innutrition of the hair due to decrease in the micro-circulation in thescalp, or aging of the follicle cells due to lack of care. Hair loss canbe caused by a number of medical conditions including thyroid disordersand autoimmune diseases. Hair loss can also be caused by the use ofcertain therapeutic drugs designed to alleviate conditions such ascancer. Hair loss is a common problem encountered by patients whoreceive chemotherapy or drugs used to inhibit the immune response, etc.Patients start to develop bald spots in certain places because the hairwould fall out again after it grows to a certain point. Patients mayhave scabs, severe dryness, and bumps on their scalps. The hair isfragile, easy to break off and fall out. Often, such hair loss isaccompanied by lack of hair re-growth, leading to partial or fullbaldness. For aesthetic purpose, most patients need to wear wigs and getextension braids in their hair, which are uncomfortable andinconvenient.

Various agents have been commercialized for improving hair re-growth orgrowth. Commercially available hair re-growth or growth agents includesynthetic chemicals such as vasodilators, hormone drugs for inhibitingaction of male sex hormone, etc. However, these synthetic chemicals haveundesirable effects on most people. People who have medical conditionsor are receiving medical therapy such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, ordrugs used to inhibit the immune response, etc. should avoid using harshchemicals on their hair and scalp as these can cause the scalp to becomedry and itchy.

The use of herbal products including essential oils or carrier oilsprovides benefits over and above the aforementioned synthetic chemicals,etc. Essential Oils contained in plants have a very beneficial effect onhair growth. Studies suggest that one or more of the essential oils arebiologically able to promote hair growth. Essential oils for hair growthare excellent for cleansing, nourishing, and strengthening the hairfollicle and shaft. These essential oils for hair growth stimulate thehair follicles to grow faster than the hair would normally. However,most essential oils are highly concentrated and potent, they may haveadverse effect on skin if used undiluted. It is ideal to diluteessential oils with carrier oils. Carrier oils are a vegetable originextracted from nuts and seeds by cold pressing. Carrier oils providelubrication and moisture and help with the absorption of essential oilsinto the skin. Moreover, carrier oils alone also provide nutrition andmoisture to dry or damaged hair.

Some products and compositions that contain herbal products have beendisclosed for enhancing hair growth. More specifically, by way ofexample, U.S. PreGrant Pub. No. 20090123564 to Jain et al. discloses anovel composition for hair loss and/or hair growth promotion comprisingactive agent derived from natural source such as from the plant Vernoniasp., either alone or in combination with other active agents that areobtained from a natural source selected from a group comprising Aloe,Burdock, Capsicum, Ginger, Ginkgo, Green Tea, Hip, Lavender, Milfoil,Nettles, Onion, Pygeum, Rattanjot, Red Pepper, Rosemary, Safflower oil,and Tea Tree oil, or mixture thereof.

The hair care compositions disclosed in the present application aredistinguished from the invention disclosed in U.S. PreGrant Pub. No.20090123564, because the present invention comprises certain essentialoils or carrier oils, which are not contained in the compositiondisclosed in U.S. PreGrant Pub. No. 20090123564.

By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,887,857 B1 to Johnson (2011)discloses a shampoo consisting of a clear shampoo base (65%), PomaceOlive oil (7.5%), Coconut oil (7.5%), Corn starch-based rheologymodifier and emulsion stabilizer (7.5%), Jojoba oil (3.8%), Avocado oil(3.8%), functional Honey (3.8%), Tea Tree oil (0.08%), Hemp seed oil(0.08%), Shea oil (0.08%), Peppermint oil (0.08%), Rosemary Oleoresinextract (0.05%), Lemongrass oil (0.05%), Ylang-ylang oil (0.05%), andClary Sage oil (0.05%).

The hair care compositions disclosed in the present application aredistinguished from the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,887,857 B1to Johnson in that the present invention comprises Lavender essentialoil, which is not contained in the composition disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 7,887,857 B1. Lavender essential oil is significant towards peoplewho receive medical therapy that leads to severe dryness, bumps, andscabs because it can increase the rate of wound healing. Moreover, thepercentage of each ingredients of the present invention is significantlydifferent from the range disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,887,857 B1.

Therefore, although numerous compositions and methods for stimulation ofhair growth are known in the art, there is still a need to providedifferent compositions that are suitable for people who have hair lossdue to medical conditions or drug therapy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is discloseda hair care composition being formulated for topical application onusers' scalp. The composition comprises one and/or more carrier oil, oneand/or more essential oil, and one and/or more fragrance oil. Thecarrier oils may be selected from a group consisting of Extra VirginOlive oil, Jojoba oil, Shea Butter, and any combinations thereof. Theessential oils may be selected from a group consisting of Clary Sageessential oil, Rosemary essential oil, Peppermint essential oil,Lavender essential oil, Tea Tree essential oil, and any combinationsthereof. The fragrance oil may be selected from a group consisting ofVanilla fragrance oil, Lemon fragrance oil, Orange fragrance oil, andany combination thereof.

The hair care compositions of the present invention has demonstratedthat they can strengthen hair, prevent hair loss and promote hairgrowth. The hair care compositions also help to relieve users frommedical therapy caused severe dryness, bumps, and scabs in the scalp.

The hair care composition according to the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention comprises Extra Virgin Olive oil (about 28.6% byvolume), Jojoba oil (about 19.0% by volume), Shea Butter (about 38.1% byvolume), Peppermint essential oil (about 2.4% by volume), Rosemaryessential oil (about 1.2% by volume), Tea Tree essential oil (about 2.4%by volume), Clary Sage essential oil (about 1.2% by volume), Lavenderessential oil (about 2.4% by volume), and Vanilla fragrance oil (about4.8% by volume).

It is to be understood that the aforementioned components and percentageare only exemplary and that various arrangements are possible in otherembodiments. The Extra Virgin Olive oil may be present in an amount of23-34% by volume; the Shea Butter may be present in an amount of 30-46%by volume; the Jojoba oil may be present in an amount of 15 to 23% byvolume; the Peppermint essential oil may be present in an amount of 1.2to 3.6% by volume; the Rosemary essential oil may be present in anamount of 0.6 to 1.8% by volume; the Tea Tree essential oil may bepresent in an amount of 1.2 to 3.6% by volume; the Clary Sage essentialoil may be present in an amount of 0.6 to 1.8% by volume; the Lavenderessential oil may be present in an amount of 1.2 to 3.6% by volume; theVanilla fragrance oil may be present in an amount of 2.4 to 7.2% byvolume.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined inorder that the more detailed description that follows may be betterunderstood and in order that the present contribution to the art maybetter be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will bedescribed hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claimsthat follow.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applicationto the details of construction and the arrangements of the componentsset forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced andcarried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of thepresent invention so that those skilled in the art may better understandthe detailed description of the invention that follows. Additionalfeatures of the invention will be described hereinafter that form thesubject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art shouldappreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception andspecific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying otherstructures for carrying out the same purposes of the present inventionand that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scopeof the invention in its broadest form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is discloseda hair care product composition being formulated for topical applicationon users' scalp. The composition comprises one and/or more carrier oil,one and/or more essential oil, and one and/or more fragrance oil. Thecarrier oils may be selected from a group consisting of Extra VirginOlive oil, Jojoba oil, Shea Butter, and any combinations thereof. Theessential oils may be selected from a group consisting of Clary Sageessential oil, Rosemary essential oil, Peppermint essential oil,Lavender essential oil, Tea Tree essential oil, and any combinationsthereof. The fragrance oil may be selected from a group consisting ofVanilla fragrance oil, Lemon fragrance oil, Orange fragrance oil, andany combinations thereof.

Olive oil, Jojoba oil, and Shea butter work as lubricant andmoisturizer, as well as carrier oil for essential oils and aids in thedelivery of their healing properties without irritation. They arebeneficial to the dry and damaged hair and/or skin and promote hairgrowth.

Application of Olive oil along with some essential oils is found to beone of the most effective treatments to cure the problem of dry ordamaged hair and also for promoting hair growth. The hair is nourishedand will regain its elasticity after a treatment with this oil. Themolecular structure of Jojoba oil is similar to sebum, which isnaturally occurring oil in human hair. This makes it a great choice fora moisturizer. It is one of the best essential oils to stop hair lossdue to hair breakage. Shea butter is highly moisturizing, semi-softsubstance used as a carrier of essential oils especially where there isdamaged, dry or aging skin.

Peppermint helps to stimulate blood flow to the root of hair and so givehair good nutrition and helps it grow well.

Rosemary essential oil is known to promote increased circulation as wellas help remove dandruff and sebum accumulations on the scalp.

Tea Tree essential oil works great for unblocking the hair follicles.Blocked hair follicles, caused by oil, dirt or dry skin cells, lead to anumber of problems, including thinning and even loss of the hair itself.Thus, application of Tea Tree essential oil leads to hair growth,nourishment of hair and also cleans the dandruff. Furthermore, Tea Treeessential oil is known for its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antisepticproperties.

Clary Sage essential oil helps reduce excess hair oil and stimulatesdormant hair follicles so they return to the anagen (growing) stage inthe hair growth cycle. In addition, this oil kills bacteria and protectsagainst new infections.

Lavender essential oil has been shown to promote the growth of hair andincrease the rate of wound healing. Lavender essential oil has verystrong anti-inflammatory properties to help combat Alopecia. It may playcritical role in helping users' relief from medical therapy causedsevere dryness, bumps, and scabs in the scalp.

Referring to Table 1, there is disclosed a hair care composition with anumber of different components in varying quantities in order to achievea desired result. By way of example, the hair care composition may beprovided as a topical application on scalp of a user. One such exemplaryembodiment of the hair care composition is provided as shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Component Percentage by volume (% v/v) Shea butter 30-46 ExtraVirgin Olive oil 23-34 Jojoba oil 15-23 Vanilla Fragrance Oil 2.4-7.2Peppermint Essential Oil 1.2-3.6 Lavender Essential Oil 1.2-3.6 Tea TreeEssential Oil 1.2-3.6 Clary Sage Essential Oil 0.6-1.8 RosemaryEssential Oil 0.6-1.8

Referring to Table 2, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of thehair care composition according to the present invention.

TABLE 2 Component Percentage by volume (% v/v) Shea butter 38.1% ExtraVirgin Olive oil 28.6% Jojoba oil 19.0% Vanilla Fragrance Oil 4.8%Peppermint Essential Oil 2.4% Lavender Essential Oil 2.4% Tea TreeEssential Oil 2.4% Clary Sage Essential Oil 1.2% Rosemary Essential Oil1.2%

In one embodiment, the hair care composition of the present invention isprepared by measuring about 8 ounces of solid Shea butter into a pan,melting it to a liquid, adding about 4 ounces of the Jojoba and 6 ouncesof the Extra Virgin Olive oils to the melted Shea butter. Mixing thesecarrier oils by hand mixer. Adding about 0.25 ounce of Clary Sage andabout 0.25 ounce of Rosemary essential oils into the mixture and mixingagain. Then, adding about 0.5 ounces of Peppermint and about 0.5 ouncesof Lavender oils into the mixture and mixing again. Adding about 0.5ounces Tea Tree essential oil into the mixture and mixing again.Finally, adding about 1 ounce of Vanilla fragrance oil to the mixtureand mixing. The resulting hair care composition is kept in a freezer forabout 7-10 minutes. Removing the product from freezer and mixing again,and then refreezing the product for about five more minutes. Repeat thelast steps for three more times. The final product is stored in freezerfor at least four days before use.

It is to be understood that the aforementioned components and volumes aswell as steps are only exemplary and that various arrangements arepossible in other embodiments.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferredembodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered asillustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended tobe exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described toprovide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and itspractical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art toutilize the invention in various embodiments and with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All suchmodifications and variations are within the scope of the invention asdetermined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance withthe breadth to which they are entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair care composition for treating hair loss,strengthening hair and for treating scalp dryness, bumps and scabs, saidcomposition consisting essentially of: (a) an effective amount of extravirgin olive oil, wherein said effective amount of said extra virginolive oil is 23-34% by volume; (b) an effective amount of shea butter,wherein said effective amount of said shea butter is 30-46% by volume;(c) an effective amount of jojoba oil, wherein said effective amount ofsaid jojoba oil is 15-23% by volume; (d) an effective amount ofpeppermint essential oil, wherein said effective amount of saidpeppermint essential oil is 1.2-3.6% by volume; (e) an effective amountof rosemary essential oil, wherein said effective amount of saidrosemary essential oil is 0.6-1.8% by volume; (f) an effective amount oftee tree essential oil, wherein said effective amount of said tee treeessential oil is 1.2-3.6% by volume; (g) an effective amount of claysage essential oil, wherein said effective amount of said clay sageessential oil is 0.6-1.8% by volume; (h) an effective amount of lavenderessential oil, wherein said effective amount of said lavender essentialoil is 1.2-3.6% by volume; and (i) an effective amount of vanillafragrance oil, wherein said effective amount of said fragrance oil is2.4-7.2% by volume.
 2. The hair care composition of claim 1, whereinsaid effective amount of said extra virgin olive oil is about 28.6% byvolume, wherein said effective amount of said shea butter is about 38.1%by volume, wherein said effective amount of said jojoba oil is about 19%by volume, wherein said effective amount of said peppermint essentialoil is about 2.4% by volume, wherein said effective amount of saidrosemary essential oil is about 1.2% by volume, wherein said effectiveamount of said tea tree essential oil is about 2.4% by volume, whereinsaid effective amount of said clay sage essential oil is about 1.2% byvolume, wherein said effective amount of said lavender essential oil isabout 2.4% by volume, wherein said effective amount of said vanillafragrance oil is about 4.8% by volume.